Various – Electric Dreams

This soundtrack and movie are both very underappreciated. Neither is perfect, but both are super charming and oddball and, well, culty.

Does this release with extended versions really exist or is it a hoax?
There are also some European cassettes with the same track lengths ...

Hi,

are the timings listed on the UK Tape right? They differ from the German and US Cassatte timings a lot. Can anyone confirm/check?

The film itself is a friendlier version of 'Demon Seed'. While the latter provides a horrific, manipulative view from the artificial state of mind, 'Electric Dreams' is a 'bizarre love triangle' between a man, a woman and a computer - innocently sweet, at times out of control and fun to watch - and eventually fun to listen.

While it is not entirely produced by Giorgio Moroder, his presence somewhat overshadows others' contributions on the very soundtrack (his instrumental pieces here, 'The Duel' and 'Madeline's Theme', are charming as they are pretentious). For one, 'Together In Electric Dreams' coupling Moroder with The Human League's Phil Oakey was destined to be an instant success. Easily put out of the soundtrack's context, the simple magic of this single (even though it's not my particular favourite) is that it functions as an individual, timeless summer hit.

However, there are typical Moroder-ish necessary electro-rock evils here - Helen Terry's 'Now You're Mine' for example, which has the groove but altogether it's a typical, dated standard of the year 1985. It also relies heavily on Moroder's previous work with 'Flashdance' (the drum programs and the song's arrangement is almost a straight re-write of 'Maniac').

Among the rest, there are equally representative common themes to go along with the film's story - as well as individual hits - Culture Club's 'Love Is Love' and 'The Dream' are nice little ballads. Jeff Lyne's 'Video' and 'Let It Run' are sympathetic but clumsy Beach Boys-alikes. Heaven 17, albeit effective here, are the album's biggest leftover - as 'Chase Runner' is a mere review of ideas from their own albums up to 'How Men Are' (basically, their piece is an instrumental remix between 'Crushed By the Wheels of Industry' and 'Counterforce').

The best song on the album is undoubtedly P.P. Arnold's title song. Starting with a guess where it's actually pointing, 'Electric Dreams' slides from bluesy intro into fully blooded electro-pop (despite it is quite at odds with Frampton's massive guitar).

In all, the soundtrack itself fits better within the film. Because when it connects you to the very scenes, you instantly fall in love with both - the video and the music.